The Quest for Knowledge
by Lightning-Strike
Summary: Yes, the title is bad. Anyway, Trina is a girl who wants to become a trainer. Big whoop, who doesn't? But when she meets her first Pokemon, her life changes. Forever.
1. The Mysterious Little Panda

Hello!! This would be Lightning-Strike, bringing yet another little story that welled up from my consciousness. Please don't kill me if you hate the fic, just review it so that I can make it better. Kay? Great! Well, here goes! Umm…does anybody have some M&M's minis?  
  
"Killer migraine."  
  
"Doncha just hate those?"  
  
"Uh-huh. Killer migraine."  
  
"Just be patient. They'll hatch soon enough, but you'll have to ignore the headache."  
  
"I'll try. Killer migraine," she added in a whisper.  
  
Trina and Amana had been watching the eggs for almost seven hours. Amana had a 'killer migraine', and Trina was watching the ovals intently. Of the twelve eggs, only one had begun to crack. Trina felt something special coming from that egg. It was as though it was calling her, beckoning her to take it, willing her to become its trainer.  
  
The two girls were usually best enemies, but Trina wasn't paying any attention to Amana now, no matter how much the other girl tried to get on her nerves. Both knew that, for helping Professor Hemlock with the Pokémon eggs, they would get their first Pokémon, the pick of any of the hatchlings.  
  
"I'm gonna go get a drink of water," Amana said irritably. She left in a huff, still complaining about her headache. Trina's eyes were fixed on the egg. Suddenly it began to shake violently. On impulse she reached out and picked the oval up, holding it close to her breast. She felt the cracks appearing beneath her fingers, could sense another heart beating within the case.  
  
She looked down and saw an ebony eye staring at her. The shell was now crumbling away from the small form beneath. All of a sudden the remaining covering exploded outward, fragments falling like crystal rain. Trina felt one of the shards zip past her cheek, then felt a small drop begin to slip. But her attention quickly averted to the small creature in her hands.  
  
It resembled a Teddiursa, but it was rounder, with short back legs and large paws. It seemed unable to walk long distances on two legs, better adapted to running on all fours. Its fur was all white, save the muzzle, ears, arms, legs, and small tail. These were black. It had huge sable eyes that stared up at Trina with such hope and faith, like it knew exactly who she was and what she was doing.  
  
"I see you've met the Panmaro," a voice said from behind her. Trina spun quickly, startled at the voice. She was met by the large spectacles and laughing blue eyes of Professor Hemlock.  
  
"So…it's called a Panmaro?" she asked quietly. The little creature looked back up at her.  
  
"Panma!" it said in a high, childish voice. Trina giggled as it snuggled into her arms.  
  
"It's cute," she stated. The little creature grinned back up at her, ebony eyes sparkling with the night stars.  
  
"It's also a Pokémon that we know very little about," Professor Hemlock said. Both the Panmaro and Trina looked up at her. "Please, sit down," she told the girl, gesturing to one of the three chairs along the wall. Trina sat down in one, and Professor Hemlock took another and positioned it so that she and the soon-to-be trainer were facing each other.  
  
"Now, Trina," the Professor began, "you know as much about rare Pokémon as a college student with a Ph.D. in Pokémon. That's a pretty decent amount of knowledge. But how much do you think is known about Panmaro?"  
  
Trina shook her head. "I don't know, Professor Hemlock." The Professor chuckled and held up a fist.  
  
"We have no true facts about these creatures," she told her with a smirk. Trina and the Panmaro were staring at her open-mouthed, before looking at one another. "We only have assumptions," Professor Hemlock continued. "We have no idea what type they are, but some speculate that they are a mixture of dark and psychic. Yes, I know the idea is absurd, but that's the best guess we have," she explained before Trina could say anything.  
  
"We are almost sure that the Pokémon can evolve, but no one has ever seen the final stage. The current Pokémon master had one of these, and it was speculated that it was at level 100, yet it hadn't evolved. We think it might evolve by stone…"  
  
"But it evolves by friendship, Professor," Trina interrupted. Then she clapped her hand over her mouth. At the same time the Panmaro placed its paws over its ears.  
  
Professor Hemlock leaned forward slightly. "And tell me, Trina, how did you know that?" she asked in a low, reassuring voice.  
  
"I…don't know," she replied, looking down at the creature in her arms. "I just got this weird feeling when you started to say 'evolve by stone,' and then I heard a voice in my head that said happiness."  
  
"Hmm…we'll come back to that later," she said, looking curiously at the pair. "As to where they came from, we don't know that, either. Some say they are the product of one of Team Rocket's experiments on Teddiursa. Others say that they are natural Pokémon, they just live in so few places and there are so few of them that no one ever sees them.  
  
"It's my own speculation that the Panmaro come to a certain place every year for a mating ritual. But they mature so slowly that there are only two or three breeding couples. And they also hide their eggs so well that you need to have pure dumb luck to find them. Either that…or a connection to the type. Correct?"  
  
"I don't understand," Trina murmured. Professor Hemlock chuckled slightly.  
  
"I suppose you didn't recognize that egg as the one you found a month ago," the Professor said, more to herself than to the girl.  
  
"You mean…this Pokémon…came out of the egg…I found?" she asked, looking back down at the Panmaro. The little creature climbed slowly up to her shoulder, then licked away the little trickle of blood that had been slowly tracking down her cheek. Trina chuckled slightly. The Professor was watching them intently. Suddenly a look of realization crossed her face.  
  
"I knew there was something about you!" she exclaimed happily. Both Trina and the Panmaro stared at her. "One moment," she said, standing and walking out of the room. She came back in a few seconds carrying…  
  
"A mirror?" Trina asked.  
  
"Panma-pan?" the Panmaro asked. Professor Hemlock handed the mirror to Trina, who stared at the Professor for a few seconds longer before gazing into the mirror.  
  
She saw her reflection, but there was nothing out of the ordinary about her. She had shoulder length brown hair with some streaks of dark brown and some of blonde. She had a very tan complexion and large eyes…  
  
Wait! That's what the Professor saw! Trina exclaimed in her mind. The Panmaro had moved so that it could see into the mirror as well. They both had exceptionally large sable-colored eyes!  
  
"You have a connection to them, you know," Professor Hemlock told her. "I think you should start on your journey as soon as possible. Trina," the Professor said, reaching into her pocket and pulling a Pokédex out, "are you willing to train this Panmaro to the best of your ability and call me when you discover anything at all?"  
  
"Yes, I am!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Pan-pan!" her Pokémon shouted.  
  
"All right, then. This Pokédex belongs to you. I'll send the Pokéballs and the holster to your house. Report to me before you leave, all right?"  
  
"Of course!" Trina laughed. "Bye, Professor Hemlock!" she called, running out the door into the town, the Panmaro clinging to the back of her head.  
  
"Enthusiastic young girl," the Professor murmured. "She'll have a hard journey ahead of her. Can she make it, I wonder?" Professor Hemlock chuckled and turned away to get the Pokéballs and the holder. 


	2. Beginning the Quest

            I see FFnet is finally up and running…FINALLY being the keyword.  Well, it's Lightning-Strike again, here with another piece of The Quest for Knowledge.  *re-reads the first part*  This is pathetic, I barely remember what I had before…oh, well.  I've got an evil piece for this that will effectively place a song into the mix.  So, before I forget, Pokémon isn't mine.  However, Panmaro is.  And probably most of the other Pokémon names that you don't recognize.  That'll include Lunareon, Stellareon, Metaleon, etc. when they come in.  Okay, this has gone on long enough, on to story time!

_Lily Valley is a very small town, all in all.  Located in a large canyon close to the Johto/Fehto border, it takes its name from the numerous fields of lilies that run throughout the gorge.  The settlement is also a Pokémon paradise, with few trainers and peaceful people in the town.  True, Lily Valley does turn out several new trainers every year, but they rarely made it to the championships.  Those that do, however, make it to the final round and usually came out on top.  The reason why remains unknown._

Trina bolted down the path from Professor Hemlock's house toward her home in town.  The Panmaro remained attached to her head, glancing around at the scenery.  Enchanted, it stared at the thick pads of lilies lining both sides of the path.

"Panma?" he inquired.  Trina slowed down, eventually coming to a stop at the entrance to her hometown.

"What is it?" she asked.  

"Panmapan?" he asked, waving toward the flowers.  Trina bent down beside the blossoms, plucking one from the numerous others.

"This is a lily," she explained, holding the flower out to the little creature.  For a moment he just stared at the blossom, then took it in one paw, sniffing at it while rolling the object around in his small hand.  Smiling, Trina walked into the town.

As she moved through the empty streets Trina began to think.  "I need to come up with a nickname for you," she said aloud.  The Panmaro made no sound.  "What do you think of Panda?" she asked.  A high, happy hum greeted the suggestion, making her giggle.  "All right, Panda it is."  She stopped outside a one-story white house, ebony shutters on each window.  The girl reached out and took hold of the doorknob, stepping into the house.

"Ro?" Panda mumbled the question as he nibbled on the lily petal.

"This is home," she explained.  "Mom!  Dad!  I'm home!" she called.  

"Hello, Trina!  How did the egg watching go?" a high, bell-like voice called.  A tall, slender woman with red-blonde hair walked out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dishtowel.

"One of them hatched!" Trina explained excitedly, sitting down on the nearest chair.  "This is Panda!  He's a Panmaro," she told her mother, pulling the little panda Pokémon from the back of her head.  He waved happily to the woman.

"It's adorable!!" the woman exclaimed, bending over to see the little creature up close.  "Is it yours?"

"Yeah, he is!" Trina smiled happily.  Her mother beamed at her.  "Where's Dad?"

"Oh, he had to leave a few hours ago.  Business trip," the lady told her.

"Another one?" the girl asked dejectedly.  Her mother nodded sadly.

"I know you wanted him to meet your new partner, but I'll tell him about it as soon as he gets back.  All right?" The woman gave a compassionate smile, which Trina returned.

"Okay, then.  Call me when he gets back!"  The girl stood up again, Panda in her arms.  "I have to go pack, Professor Hemlock wants me to start my journey right away!"  She raced down the hall and entered a large, pale blue room with a few sketchbooks scattered here and there and numerous Pokémon photos tacked to the walls.  Gently setting the Panmaro on the bed, Trina began to hurry around the room packing.

"Panma?" he asked, nibbling on the flower petal.  She glanced at him as she stuffed a few pairs of shirts into her bag.  "Pan panmaro panma mapan pan panma pan?"

"No, she's not my real mom," Trina explained, understanding the Panmaro's question.  "I was adopted when I was six.  My foster mom's usually around, but my foster dad's usually on business trips and whatnot."  Grinning, she slung her pack over her shoulder.  "Ready to go, Panda?" she asked.  The little Pokémon smiled as he stood up, leaving the lily, now petal free, on the bed.

"Panma!" he said happily as the girl picked him up, setting him on her shoulder.  He firmly attached himself to the back of her head as she picked up the discarded stem and walked toward the front of the house.  

"Leaving so soon?" her mother asked, poking her head out of the kitchen.  

"Yep!  I already had breakfast, and it's not too far to Rose Town, so I should be fine!"  With a confident smile and a quick peck on her mother's cheek, Trina was out the door and headed back to Professor Hemlock's lab.

"HEY TRINA!!" a voice called from up ahead.  Looking up, the girl saw a young boy racing toward her.

"Hey, Shawn!" she laughed, sprinting forward and stopping before the boy.  He was about three years younger than she was, his dark hair neatly combed and parted, much to his dislike.  His pale brown eyes sparkled with mirth as he looked up at the older girl.

"Are you heading out on your journey?" he asked.  She nodded as Panda peeked around her hair to see the boy.  "Well, Professor Hemlock asked me to deliver these to you."  With that he held out his hands, offering her a special carrying belt with six Pokéballs already attached.  

"Hey!  Thanks a bunch, Shawn!" she exclaimed, slipping the belt around her waist.  Patting the short boy on the head as an extra thanks, she began to run down the path again. 

"GOOD LUCK ON YOUR JOURNEY!!!" he called, waving to her.  She waved back until she nearly lost her balance trying to run and look backward at the same time.  With a final chuckle she turned her attention back to the trail that led her straight to the town's lab.

"I'm back!" she called, panting slightly from the run as she opened the door of the laboratory.

"Ah, Trina!  So good to see you!" the professor said, coming down the hall.  "I see Shawn already said goodbye to you."  Trina giggled and twirled around, showing off the belt.  Although not exactly a wonderful fashion statement, it was perfectly suited for carrying as many as fifteen Pokéballs, more than twice the normal amount.

"So, can I go?" the young girl asked eagerly as she jogged in place.

"Hold your Ponytas, cowgirl!" the professor said jokingly.  "I still have to tell you a few things.  For one, I'm not going to be getting any of the Pokémon you capture until your belt is full.  You can carry up to fifteen Pokémon with you, but you're only allowed to use the normal six in battle.  Understood?" she asked sternly.  Trina nodded.  "Also, you're not allowed to attempt capturing other trainer's Pokémon."  Again the young girl nodded vigorously.  "But most importantly…you have to remember that these creatures are your friends.  They're not battle tools, they're companions on a long, hard journey through lands far from home.  They become your family over time.  And nothing is more important than family.  Take care of Panda," Professor Hemlock smiled, patting both the Panmaro's and the girl's heads.  "Get going."

"Thanks, Professor!" Trina chirped, then headed happily out the door again, off down the trail to her new adventure.

_Ah, and for a moment I thought you had given yourself away _a soft, smooth voice came from the shadows.  _What with calling her Panmaro by a name you've never heard before._

"Well, I didn't get caught, did I?" the professor asked, letting her brown-black hair out of its tidy bun.  Out of the darkness emerged an odd creature, resembling a Vaporeon yet in many ways very different.  Its frill was larger, seeming sharper as it glinted in the light.  There were only two fins atop its head, one on each side, both large and bat-like in appearance.  The tail resembled that of a Vaporeon as well, yet the two fins at the end were more like bat wings.  A bit stockier than the aforementioned water type, its fur was a deep slate blue while its eyes were a piercing black-gold tint.  As the mysterious creature grinned a pair of razor sharp fangs became noticeable.

_Yes, but you came uncomfortably close _the Pokémon said with slight disdain.

"But not close enough to be discovered," she chuckled.  "Come now, Dracula, my wonderful Vampireon, don't you have any faith?"

_Oh, I have faith, _the Pokémon told the Professor.  _Just not much when you come so close to letting out my secret._

"Dracula, no one can find out about you," Hemlock assured the creature.  "Remember, you're the only one of your kind out there.  And until someone decides to check this lab out and eliminate all the shadows, you'll remain hidden.  Besides, why would I tell anyone?  You were, after all, my first companion.  I don't tell on my friends, now do I?"  The Vampireon rolled its eyes, then slunk forward and rubbed up against the professor's leg.

_Just don't let out my secret._

"You tell me anything I need to know before it's told to me or it happens.  Why spoil that?"  Together the pair headed back down the hall toward the lab's kitchen.


	3. The First Battle...

Ah, I'm on a Quest for Knowledge spree.  This is fun!!  Especially since I had a week in Florida to plan everything! ^_^ Anyway, Pokémon isn't mine.  However, many of the Pokémon you don't recognize most likely are.  That includes the Panmaro and the Vampireon and the Pokémon you're gonna meet in this chapter that does a lot of damage…I'm not saying any more.  The characters, Trina, Professor Hemlock, and the new person in this chapter are, of course, mine.  So don't use them without permission! *wags a finger at the readers* Thanks!  R&R please!

_The path from Lily Valley to Rose Town is truly called Route 47.  Yet very few people call it by that name.  Most prefer to call the flower-lined path Sunflower Alley.  Towering sunflowers line each side of the path, stretching for nearly a quarter of a mile to each side, stopping only when they hit the canyon walls.  A beautiful, scenic area of Fehto, it was also the perfect place to begin capturing Pokémon.  _

Trina hummed happily as she strolled along the beautiful Sunflower Alley.  Panda stared in awe at the enormous flowers that seemed to tickle the bellies of the clouds as they floated by.  The length of the stalks surpassed even his trainer's height!  Carefully he stretched out one little paw, grabbing a single sunflower petal as they passed close to one of the gigantic flowers.  It easily came off in his grasp, leaving him with a single saffron treat.  Humming happily, the Panmaro began to nibble on the petal.

"This place is just the most wonderful spots," Trina sighed, smelling the sweet fragrance of the flowers.  But it was more the flower Pokémon inside the mass of stalks that made the refreshing aroma.  Trina stopped abruptly as a Chikorita hopped out onto the path.  

"Panma?" the Panmaro mumbled through his snack as he peered around the girl's head.  He had never seen anything like the odd little creature in front of them.  It was a pale, sunny yellow in color with large red eyes, four legs ending with single white toes, and a short, stubby tail.  Atop its head was a large green leaf, releasing a very pleasing scent.

"Ready for our first challenge, Panda?" Trina laughed.  The little creature gave a quiet hum as though thinking, then scurried down the girl's back and onto the ground.  From there it playfully bounced over to the Chikorita.  The opponent crouched in a defensive position, not about to let its guard down.

"Panma pan!" the Panmaro exclaimed, a little evil smirk coming onto his face.  He crouched down in an attack posture, wagging his little black tail excitedly.

"Let's start with a Tackle!" Trina instructed.  Panda raced forward, bashing the Chikorita with his shoulder.  The opponent was knocked about two feet, then rolled along the ground another foot before getting up.  Again the Panmaro charged in, hitting the adversary with a Tackle.  This time the creature was ready, bracing itself for the oncoming attack.  It slid along the ground a few inches as it was hit, but even the Panmaro was ready for that.  Slowly he pushed the Chikorita backward, toward the sunflowers lining the path.  In seconds the two had disappeared into the mass of stems.

"Panda!?" Trina called worriedly.  The sounds of a battle were still coming from within the tangle of stalks…then the little Panmaro emerged, unscathed, patting his paws together as though brushing dust off.  The girl chuckled.  "You're one amazing Pokémon, Panda," she said, petting the creature's head.  He smiled and jumped up, attaching himself to her lower leg.  Laughing as his soft fur tickled her leg, the new trainer began to walk down the path again.

After a few more battles with assorted Pokémon, mainly Grass types like the Chikorita and Sunkern, Trina decided that they were ready to take on another trainer.  After all, she told herself, Panda was around the level nine range already.  Another trainer would be good practice.  As she continued up along the path, the Panmaro hugging her leg tightly, she kept a sharp eye out for any trainers.

It didn't take long for her to find one. 

As she came over a slight rise she saw the other girl.  Easily half a foot taller than Trina, the teenager was standing nonchalantly beside the sunflowers, her unruly dusky yellow hair reaching just below her shoulders.  A loose tank top and a pair of tight leggings, not to mention the soft boots on her feet, seemed to be the only things she carried…except for a belt around her waist, a few Pokéballs hooked to it.  Trina smiled broadly.

"HELLO!!" Trina called, sprinting down the hill.  The other girl turned and looked at her with unconcerned blue-green eyes, her right hand moving up and covering an area on her upper left arm.  Her nails were unusually long, seeming to resemble claws rather than normal fingernails.

"Is there something you need?" the girl asked as Trina came to a halt in front of her.  The child's eyes immediately fixed on her hand, tightly grasping her upper left arm.  

"Did something happen?" Trina asked worriedly.  

"Just a scratch," the other girl replied coolly.  "Chikorita's Razor Leaf hit me."

"Oh, you should wrap that up," Trina chided, pulling her pack off and digging through it to find her First Aid kit.  Panda was staring up at this new person.  She had a very strange scent…like something that wasn't quite human, but not really a Pokémon either.  It was very confusing.

"Ah, here we are!" the new trainer exclaimed, pulling a white box out of the backpack, the red cross on it standing out against the bland background.  Quickly she opened it and pulled out a roll of gauze, offering it to the older girl.  "By the way, my name's Trina.  Who're you?"

"Shandra," the older girl replied, taking her right hand off of her arm and taking the gauze in hand.  Quickly she unrolled some of it, deftly wrapping the white material around her upper arm.  With a quick slice of one nail the light fabric was cut from the roll, then end quickly tucked into the rest of the bandage.  Nodding her thanks, Shandra handed the roll back to Trina.

"I see you're a trainer," the younger girl stated as she packed her bag again.  "I was wondering if you'd like to battle."

"You wouldn't stand a chance," Shandra told her, turning her gaze back down the path.

"Whaddya mean!?" Trina cried, indignant.  "I stand a chance!  You're Pokémon can't be higher leveled than Panda!"  The Panmaro just stared at the two girls.  Shandra's hard green-blue eyes focused on the little creature attached to Trina's leg, then she smirked.

"All right, if you insist," she said, shrugging as though Trina was a hopeless case.  "And if you win I'll give you a Pokémon to add to your party."  With that she unhooked a single red and white orb from her waist, displaying it for the new trainer.  

"Deal!!" Trina exclaimed.  "Go, Panda!" she cried happily.  The little creature detached itself from her, strutting proudly into the battleground as his trainer gave him some room for the fight.  Shandra merely smirked. 

"I choose BladeDeath!!" she called.  Out of the stand of sunflowers an enormous creature emerged, something unlike anything Trina had ever seen before.  It resembled an ancient raptor, only much bigger, nearly seven and a half feet tall.  Its legs bulged with muscles, as did its smaller arms, each equipped with two-foot long claws.  Each of its feet had two large claws, extending upward nearly a foot before turning off at a ninety degree angle.  It's red-gold eyes glittered in anticipation of the battle as its firm tail moved back and forth, keeping the creature's balance.  

"Wha-what is that!?" Trina yelped.  Panda was staring wide eyed at the opponent.

"I see you've never heard of the Caytaptor," Shandra said easily as her Pokémon came around behind her.  Casually she leaned back against it, the creature placing one clawed hand on her shoulder.  "It's an extinct species.  Mine was resurrected from a fossil.  They're Grass/Steel types, meaning that unless your little Panmaro has some very good fire moves he doesn't stand a chance."  This sparked a flame of resistance within Trina.  

"That's what you think," she growled.  "Panda, your call!"  The Caytaptor grinned a raptor-like grin and stepped into the battlefield, leaving his trainer on the sidelines.  The little Panmaro took a very deep breath…then spat five large embers at the opponent.  Each hit their mark, but left little damage.

"My turn," Shandra purred.  "BladeDeath, Slash Swipe!"  For a Grass type, the Caytaptor was fast.  For a Steel type, Caytaptor was a rocket.  For both put together, it was like seeing a Pokémon move at light speed.  Before Trina could open her mouth to tell Panda to dodge he was already lying curled on the ground, paws around his midsection.  

Red was already beginning to stain the earth.

"Now do you see why I told you it was hopeless?" Shandra said as her Caytaptor clicked his claws together, drops of the Panmaro's blood falling to the ground at his feet.  Gasping for air Panda stood up, one paw still holding his stomach while the other helped to support him.

"Enough, Panda," Trina said, moving slowly toward her companion.  He looked over at her, shaking his head no.  A cloud passed over the sun, leaving them all in half darkness.  The Panmaro's trainer looked up, noticing for the first time the deep black storm clouds that had filled the sky.  

Panda's cry was what brought her back to reality.  He was lying by her feet, moaning as a deep slash in his side spilled more of his life back into the earth.  

"Now, BladeDeath, we finish it," Shandra muttered.  The Caytaptor hissed his agreement, slowly sneaking toward the downed Panmaro.  With a harsh cry and a single strike, Panda ceased moving.  His wailing, too, was instantly quieted.

All was silent as the first drops of rain began to fall.

Mweh heh.  I be evil.  *enormous wicked devilish evil grin* Next chapter coming soon!!  *cackles*


	4. Bring on the Rain

I loved that last chapter.  But I like this one even more, because I get to incorperate a very pretty song.  It's called Bring on the Rain (hence the title of this chapter) and it's sung by Jo Dee Messina and Tim McGraw.  And it goes along REALLY well with this chapter!  And please don't hate me for what I did in the last chapter.  Thank you!  *dodges flung tomato*

_Another day has almost come and gone…_

Desperately Trina raced down Sunflower Alley, Panda in her arms.  In her concern and desperation to get the severely injured Pokémon to the center in Rose Town she had completely forgotten about placing him in a Pokéball.  The creature was completely still in her arms, whether knocked out or…Trina didn't want to think about it.

_Can't imagine what else could go wrong…_

The soft rain that had begun to fall just after her defeat was beginning to harden, stinging the girl's cheeks as she raced ever onward.  She could very faintly see the lights of the town…and the welcoming light of the Pokémon Center, stationed near the center of town.  They were the brightest things in the town as night fell.  But it was hard to tell whether it was still day or whether it was night now that the storm had come.

_Sometimes I'd like to hide away somewhere and lock the door…_

Gasping for breath, willing her tired legs to continue their flight, Trina made it into the town.  Yet she couldn't stop.  Panda was still in pain.  She could feel it.  Dark eyes flashing with the lightning in the sky she blazed into the center, sliding on the floor in her slick sneakers.

"Hello, how may I help you?" the nurse behind the counter asked.  Her orange hair fell in waves around her shoulders, sparkling green eyes smiling kindly as the young girl slipped over to the counter.

"Please help my Panmaro," she said urgently, placing the tiny helpless panda on the counter.  As she saw the injuries inflicted on the tiny Pokémon the nurse's eyes widened.  Then she gently slipped her hands beneath the creature's tiny form and walked into the emergency room without another word.  The red light came on above the door as Trina stared at the place her only companion had disappeared.  And finally it sank in.  This was an emergency case.  He might not make it through the night.  And then what would she do?

_A single battle lost, but not the war._

Slowly the girl moved toward a booth along one of the walls.  The center was empty, oddly enough, but it didn't really matter.  She had lost the battle, but not even that mattered.  She was about to lose her friend.  Only that mattered.  She sat slowly down at the table, crossed her arms on the hard, cold plastic, then buried her head in her arms.  

_'Cause tomorrow's another day, and I'm thirsty anyway, so bring on the rain._

As her crying began to die down Trina began to hear the intensity of the rain as it pounded against the windows of the center.  The occasional flash of lightning ripped the clouds apart, bringing more rain pounding into the windows.  Slowly she turned her head, just watching the waves of water slip down the glass outside.

_It's almost like the hard times circle 'round…_

She began to think of what her parents had told her.  She didn't bother reminding herself that they weren't her real parents.  They were her only family, and they cared about her.  That was good enough for her.  She remembered that her dad had told her about his problems as a trainer.  He had quit early, actually.  He had never made it to the championships.  But he told her that sometimes his Pokémon seemed very near death when he ended a battle.  It took so much strength to believe one could lose such a good friend, she now understood.  And yet…she had barely known Panda for a whole day.  Still, he had become her family.  In less than twenty-four hours he had become her best friend, and she his.  Could she really lose him?

_A couple drops and they all start coming down…_

The rain let up after about an hour.  It was still dark, but whether it was from the storm clouds or the fact that it was sometime near ten at night Trina couldn't tell.  She didn't know if it was a new moon or a full moon or if the stars were supposed to be out in the sky like they always were or if they were mourning for the death of one of their own kin.  

"Maybe that's what night storms are," she said to herself as she stared at the drops of water sliding down the windowpane.  "Maybe they're the tears that the stars shed when one of their own dies."  She heard someone sit down in the booth opposite her.  Turning her attention from the outside world to the person who had sat down with her, she found herself staring into a pair of aqua eyes.  

"How are you feeling?" Shandra asked, setting a cup of hot chocolate down in front of the other girl.  Trina said nothing, but the new tears welling up in her eyes were enough to answer the other trainer's question.

"Why?" was all Trina could ask.

_Yeah, I might feel defeated and I might hang my head…_

"Because we all have to learn that we aren't invincible," Shandra explained, sipping from a cup of tea.  "I'm not, you're not, the Pokémon master isn't.  We've all got weaknesses, as do our Pokémon.  And sometimes an opponent will exploit those weaknesses.  So we learn to hide them.  But they're still there.  Still, losing helps us learn where to place our defenses.  That way we're ready for the next battle with the same opponent.  Do you understand?"  

"I guess so," Trina whispered.  For a moment she kept her head lowered, as though contemplating something.  Then, slowly, she sat up, straightening her back before beginning to drink the hot chocolate that Shandra had provided for her.  Again it began to rain outside.  

_I might be barely breathing, but I'm not dead._

Inside the emergency room, Panda was lying on his stomach, barely maintaining consciousness.  He could see hazy images of a lady with orange hair and a few Blissey, and the lady was always shaking her head.  He could only wonder why she did that.  Was there something wrong?  

He could feel something over his nose and mouth, as well.  It was very uncomfortable, but he couldn't seem to move his paws.  And even when he did get them to move it hurt too much to be of any help to him.  So he just lay still, breathing, listening to his own heartbeat.  It seemed a lot slower than it had been earlier that day.  And it felt like he wasn't breathing enough.  He couldn't get enough air into his lungs.  But if he tried to take a deep breath his lungs began to burn.  So he settled for the shallower breaths.

But at least he was still breathing.  

_And tomorrow's another day, and I'm thirsty anyway, so bring on the rain._

Shandra and Trina sat in complete silence.  The only sound now was the gentle patter of rain on the windows and roof.  The younger of the two couldn't stop thinking about how this resembled the stars weeping.  Their light was gone because their sorrow clouded it over, and their tears were the rain that continued to fall.

But could it be a sign?

That was something she didn't want to think of.  

_No I'm not gonna let it get me down, I'm not gonna cry, and I'm not gonna lose any sleep tonight._

She finished off her hot chocolate, feeling sleep begin to weigh down upon her.  Setting the empty mug onto the table, she curled up on the soft, plush booth and fell asleep a few moments later.  Shandra smiled a bit, then unlatched one of the red and white orbs from her waist.  Setting it on the table, she found a pen and a piece of paper, scribbling a note before leaving the center.

Panda felt cold.  It was hard to breathe, as well.  Moving his paws, ignoring the intense pain that flowed through his body, he pushed the oxygen mask away from his face.  Instantly it became much easier to breathe.  But he was still cold.  

He was in what looked like an incubator, with its glass top curving over him.  But without power there was no heat.  And he was still so cold.  Moving around a bit, trying to keep from hurting too much, the Panmaro was able to lift the top of the incubator off and slip out, landing lightly on the floor as the dome fell back with a dull click.  Then slowly, painfully, he began to move toward an open door.

_'Cause tomorrow's another day, and I am not afraid, so bring on the rain._

Panda looked around, blinking a bit.  He could see a counter and lots of tables and booths…and there, lying in one of those booths, he saw Trina.  

"Panma…" he murmured, slowly beginning to walk toward the girl.  As he moved his strength seemed to grow, a silvery white glow covering his entire body.  Slowly the lighted form continued toward Trina, deftly hopping up beside her as it reached the booth.  Then it cuddled close to her, some of the light forming floating droplets that attached themselves to the girl's hair.  Slowly the luminescence faded to nothing, leaving the same grayish black that had been there before.  

Panda and Trina lay contentedly together in the booth, somehow knowing that they were both fine.  Finally the rain stopped and the clouds dispersed, showing the evening stars in their normal places, twinkling happily as they played in the velvet fields of the night.

Ah, fun chapter.  Enjoy, now!  Chapter five will be along shortly.  Bye!


	5. Rose Town Battles Pt. 1

I've just been dishing these chapters out!  I guess the plot line really interests me…go figure.  This one could turn out to be one of my longer ones!  YAY!  Anyway, Pokémon isn't mine.  However, the characters you meet are probably mine, and the Pokémon you don't recognize for a minute are mine.  Panmaro, Caytaptor, etc.  Anyway, enjoy!!

_Rose Town is the city closest to Lily Valley.  Nearly over-run by roses, the people there train many Grass type Pokémon with flowers, including Bellossom, Venusaur, Vileplume, and the newly discovered Grass evolution of Eevee, the Floreon.  The first stop for new trainers leaving Lily Valley, the gym leader is the first challenge on the road to the championship.  _

Slowly Trina's eyes flickered open.  She could see rays of sunlight filtering through the blinds on the window.  "Wait, how'd blinds get on the window?" she asked drowsily.

"I put them down," a high, bell-like voice replied.  "I didn't want you to be disturbed."  Looking up, the girl saw the nurse smiling down at her.  "Good morning!" she said sweetly.  "Sleep well?"  Trina nodded, sitting up as she rubbed her eyes.  "Glad to hear it!  I'll bring you some hot chocolate."  With that the smiling green-eyed nurse walked off.  Trina yawned, stretching her arms high over her head.  Then she felt a warm, soft pressure against her leg.  Looking down, she caught sight of Panda sleeping soundly next to her.

"Panda!" she cried happily, picking the little Pokémon up and hugging him tight.  Relief flooded through her as she saw that he was all right.  

"Panma…" he muttered sleepily, barely awake if awake at all.  

"Oh, I thought you were done for!" she exclaimed.  She continued to hug the little creature until the nurse returned with the hot chocolate.  She set the cup down on the table just before she noticed Panda clutched tightly in Trina's arms.  

"I see you've found your Pokémon," the nurse smiled.  "And he's as good as new now!"

"Thank you very much!" Trina grinned.  As she reached for the hot chocolate she noticed a dual tone orb at the center of the table.  This she gently picked up, staring at it before noticing the note beside it.  She took it and began to read.

_Well, Trina, you may have lost but I admire your spirit.  Inside the Pokéball there's a Pokémon.  Naturally.  Her name is LunaVee.  She has only one destined evolution, but you'll understand that in time.  Take care._

_Shandra _

"What…" the girl asked, then she dropped the sphere to the table.  It popped open, releasing a blaze of shapeless white energy.  This formed the shape of a Pokémon, then the light faded.  An Eevee was sitting serenely on the hard plastic.

"My goodness!" the nurse exclaimed.  "An Eevee!!"  Trina stared at the creature.  It was about a foot tall, with a fluffy tail and crest, long ears and large black eyes.  But there was something different about this one.  The crest has little curved waves in it, the limbs were a bit thinner than average, the tail seemed to bulge a bit at the end, and the eyes were huge.  But it was adorable.  

"LunaVee," she said quietly.  The little Pokémon yipped at the mention of its name.  Trina giggled, then petted its head.  The Pokémon purred a bit, bumping Trina's hand as though asking for more.  

"Eevees are very rare," the nurse murmured.  Trina nodded, a happy smile on her face.  

"LunaVee, return," she said quietly.  The little fox Pokémon sighed as a beam of rose light hit it, then the Eevee was sucked into the ball.  This Trina quickly attached to her belt.  Suddenly a thought crossed her mind.  "Have any other trainers come in here?" she asked.  The nurse looked a bit startled, then she began to think. 

"Quite a few, actually.  Most are here to challenge May, the Rose Town Gym Leader."  Trina cocked her head.  "But not May Oak, her name is May Rose.  She's very sweet, but she knows how to battle."  Trina nodded.

"Has a girl with dark blue eyes and sort of darkish red hair come in?" Trina asked.  The nurse nodded.

"Yes, she came in last night about fifteen minutes after you fell asleep.  She was carrying a Dragoli and she dropped off…" the nurse pondered for a moment, remembering.  "Yes, she dropped the Dragoli off for inspection, and then she took it back.  She slept in another of the booths, but she headed out at first light.  She said she was off to challenge May."  Trina stared for a moment.  

"She's already ahead of me," the girl stated, incredulous.  Quickly she took a drink of her hot chocolate, nearly choking when she discovered that, contrary to her original thought, it was still piping hot.  

"I take it the girl was your rival," the nurse said, pouring a glass of ice water from the pitcher on the counter and handing it to the gasping trainer.  Trina hurriedly drank the contents of the cup, sighing in relief as the burning in her mouth and throat subsided.

"Yeah, you could say that," she answered dryly.  "Anyway, I can't finish the cocoa, but thank you!" With that she raced from the center.  Panda, being the smart little Panmaro he was, had attached himself to the girl's arm so that he wouldn't be left behind.  Hurriedly the trainer looked around for the gym.  Instead she saw Amana strolling down the path, hands in her pockets, a little dragon on her shoulder.  The Pokémon was busily fussing with its translucent yellow-orange wings.  The pair looked up as they came toward the center, noticing Trina.  Amana smirked.

"Well, if it isn't lil' miss perfect," she remarked snidely.  Trina glared at her.  "Glad to see you're awake.  After all, it is nearly nine in the morning."

"What do you want?" Trina asked, annoyed.  Panda cocked his head at the new girl, trying to figure out why his trainer was so angry.  The person didn't look bad.  And she didn't smell bad.  She didn't sound bad, either.  She just seemed a bit…lost, maybe.  

"Nothing, really.  I just wanted to show you what the gym badge looked like."  With that Amana pulled open her jacket, revealing a small, glittering rose-shaped badge, a minute pearl at the center.  Trina stared.  "So, how about a battle to see how good you are?" Amana asked, closing her windbreaker.  The other girl glared.

"You're on," she growled.  Panda hopped off her arm, bouncing a bit as he hit the ground, then he walked toward Amana.  The Dragoli had already fluttered off her trainer's shoulder and was standing ready for the Panmaro.  "Two on two battle," Trina said.  

"No," Amana answered instantly.  Trina looked startled.  "One on one.  Our starters against one another."

"Hey, we both have two Pokémon.  No fair holding back one!" Trina exclaimed.

"Who said I had two?" Amana asked quietly.  Trina looked at the other trainer's waist.  Indeed there were no balls clipped to the belt there.  She narrowed her eyes, but relented. 

"Fine," she spat.  Amana smiled a bit, her normal sneer.  

"Let's begin, shall we?" she snickered.  "BurningSky, Flame Wheel!" she called.  Panda shrieked and raced away as a blast of flame singed his fur.  He hid directly behind Trina, shivering and holding onto her legs.  "Is your little panda scared?" she asked, sneering.  

"Panda, come on!" Trina grumbled, embarrassed.  Slowly, fearfully, the Panmaro walked back toward the Dragoli.  "Tackle!" she called.  Now that he was commanded, the Pokémon gained confidence.  He raced forward on all fours, intent on ramming the dragon ten feet away.  But instead, he hit air and skidded face first in the dirt.

"Didn't expect it, did you?" Amana asked, snickering, as BurningSky hovered in the air.  "Ember!  Cover the field!"  The hatchling's mouth began to flare, then a wave of embers fell from her open maw.  Some landed directly on Panda, making him cry out and try to run.  But the field itself was covered in the hot coals, burning the pads of the Panmaro's feet.  

By this point a large crowd had grown, watching the battle excitedly.  A few children were placing bets on which Pokémon would win.  Most were betting on BurningSky.  Everyone was cheering at the strategic attack, a move that had nearly clinched the battle in Amana's favor.

"It's hopeless," Trina muttered.  "Panda, return!" she called.  The Panmaro whimpered quietly, sitting still.  He was close to the center of the battlefield, on the only patch of surrounding ground that was not covered in hot coals.  With the bottoms of his paws burned he couldn't jump, and walking across would only hurt more.  Sniffing a bit, he tried to endure the heat around him.  The crowd had fallen completely silent.

"Sky, help the little Panda out," Amana said quietly.  The Dragoli nodded, fluttering down and picking the panda up.  Pumping her wings she gained altitude, then swooped over to Trina.  Halting her flight in front of the trainer, she smiled a bit.  Trina narrowed her eyes and grabbed her Pokémon away from the dragon.  Both Dragoli and trainer seemed surprised.  

"You don't know the first thing about Pokémon training," Trina spat.  With that she raced back into the center.

"I see you were in a battle with a fire type," the nurse said as Trina came up.

"Please help my Panmaro?" she asked.  The nurse nodded and took the little Panda into another room.  As the young trainer sat down at a booth Amana walked in, BurningSky on her shoulder again.  As the two walked up to the counter the nurse walked back in, flicking her hair over one shoulder.  She smiled at Amana and Sky.

"I'd like to get my Dragoli healed, if you don't mind," she whispered.  As Trina watched another Pokéball was placed on the counter.  "And I'd like it if you checked up on RainSpirit, too."  The nurse nodded, taking both the Dragoli and the Pokéball to the room she had placed Panda in.  

"That went horribly wrong," Amana muttered, placing her hands behind her head as she walked over to get a cup of cocoa. 

"Liar," Trina called over.  The other trainer looked up, deep blue eyes startled.

"What?" she asked.

"You heard me, liar," Trina said again.  "You had another Pokémon the whole time, but you just didn't want to use it."

"I have my reasons," Amana replied, walking to a booth and setting her hot chocolate down on the hard plastic table.  Trina got up and walked over, setting her weight on the table and looking the other trainer straight in the face.

"Tell me your reasons, then."  The look in her dark eyes would have been enough to quail a Tyranitar.  

But Amana wasn't a Tyranitar.  She was herself.

"Not on your life," she answered snidely.  The nurse came out again, Panda on one arm and BurningSky on the other. 

"You're Pokémon are ready for you!" she called.  Amana stood up, avoiding Trina's glare as she walked over.  Sky called happily and fluttered over, attaching herself to her trainer's head.  Trina followed as the nurse handed the Pokéball to Amana.

"Now its been healed physically, but the emotional scars are deep," the nurse was saying as Trina walked up.  "You need to remember that as you care for it.  She might not listen to you right away."

"I don't expect her to," Amana murmured, sliding her fingers over the top of the ball.  She nodded her thanks to the nurse, then left the same way she had come in.  Trina cocked an eyebrow at the nurse.  

"What was that about?" she asked.  The nurse smiled.

"Nothing, really."  She passed the Panmaro across the counter to Trina.  "All right, he's been fully healed now.  Take care, and have a nice day!" she smiled.  Trina nodded and smiled back, heading out of the center.  Now she set a course for the gym, ready to battle for her first badge.  She wasn't going to lose, not this time.  She had catching up to do.

Ah, and now Trina's pumped up and ready to overtake her rival!!  …now the only question is, can she do it?  I'm wondering…well, I'll be typing like a madwoman…mad girl…for a while, so I'll be giving you another chapter of this soon!  And, for those of you who are curious, I'm going to type this in a slightly different manner from Amana's POV for The Quest for Power.  Adios, mi amigos!


End file.
